Here you’ll find 44 Books that start with J, organized from “J” to “Just Kids”. The selection spans fiction and nonfiction, classics and contemporary works useful for readers, librarians, bloggers and teachers.

Books that start with J are titles whose first letter is J and that span genres, ages, and cultural traditions. From children’s favorites to literary memoirs like “Just Kids,” J titles often highlight memorable voices and enduring characters.

Below you’ll find the table with Title, Author, Year, Genre and Notes.

Title: Displays the exact book title as published so you can identify, search for, or add the correct title to reading lists.

Author: Lists the credited author(s) to help you find editions, compare works, and explore other books by the same writer.

Year: Shows the original publication year or first edition year so you can place the work in historical and cultural context.

Genre: Identifies the primary genre to help you filter by interest, whether you prefer fiction, memoir, mystery, or children’s books.

Notes: Provides brief context such as awards, series information, or notable editions that aid selection and further research.

Books that start with J

TitleAuthor(s)First publication yearPrimary genre
Jane EyreCharlotte Brontë1847Literary fiction
Jurassic ParkMichael Crichton1990Science fiction thriller
Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellSusanna Clarke2004Historical fantasy
Jude the ObscureThomas Hardy1895Literary fiction
Julius CaesarWilliam Shakespearec.1599Drama / Tragedy
Jo’s BoysLouisa May Alcott1886Children’s / Coming-of-age
James and the Giant PeachRoald Dahl1961Children’s fantasy
Journey to the Center of the EarthJules Verne1864Science fiction / Adventure
JawsPeter Benchley1974Thriller
Jitterbug PerfumeTom Robbins1984Literary fiction / Magical realism
Joseph AndrewsHenry Fielding1742Comic novel
Just KidsPatti Smith2010Memoir
JunkMelvin Burgess1996Young adult / Realist
JunkieWilliam S. Burroughs1953Autobiographical novel
J.R.William Gaddis1975Literary fiction / Satire
Journey to the End of the NightLouis-Ferdinand Céline1932Literary fiction / Modernist
Johnny TremainEsther Forbes1943Historical fiction / Children’s
Jonathan Livingston SeagullRichard Bach1970Novella / Inspirational
JazzToni Morrison1992Historical fiction / Literary
JasmineBharati Mukherjee1989Literary fiction
JudasAmos Oz2014Literary fiction
JoylandStephen King2013Crime / Horror
Jacob Have I LovedKatherine Paterson1980Children’s / Young adult
Jasper JonesCraig Silvey2009Literary fiction / Mystery
John AdamsDavid McCullough2001Biography
Johnny Got His GunDalton Trumbo1939Anti-war novel
Juliet, NakedNick Hornby2009Contemporary fiction
Jacob’s RoomVirginia Woolf1922Modernist fiction
Jimmy CorriganChris Ware2000Graphic novel
JerusalemAlan Moore2016Literary fiction / Metafiction
Jamaica InnDaphne du Maurier1936Gothic thriller
Jeff in Venice, Death in VaranasiGeoff Dyer2004Fiction / Travel
Jeeves and the Feudal SpiritP. G. Wodehouse1954Comic fiction
JubileeMargaret Walker1966Historical fiction
JHoward Jacobson2014Dystopian literary fiction
JewelBret Lott1991Literary fiction
Jar CityArnaldur Indriðason2000Crime fiction
JanesvilleAmy Goldstein2017Narrative nonfiction
Job: A Comedy of JusticeRobert A. Heinlein1984Science fiction / Satire
Journey to the WestWu Cheng’enc.1592Mythic novel / Adventure
JingoTerry Pratchett1997Fantasy / Satire
Jock of the BushveldSir Percy FitzPatrick1907Memoir / Animal story
John Dies at the EndDavid Wong2007Horror / Comic fiction
Jean-ChristopheRomain Rolland1904Literary epic

Descriptions

Jane Eyre
Classic novel about an orphaned governess’s struggle for independence and love; a landmark of feminist English fiction.
Jurassic Park
Techno-thriller about resurrected dinosaurs on an island; blockbuster bestseller that inspired Spielberg’s film.
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Alternate Regency England where two magicians revive practical magic; acclaimed, award-winning modern fantasy.
Jude the Obscure
Tragic critique of class, education, and marriage in Victorian England; caused public controversy on release.
Julius Caesar
Shakespeare’s Roman play about politics, ambition, and betrayal; staple of theater and literary study.
Jo’s Boys
Sequel to Little Men following the grown pupils of Plumfield as they become adults; sentimental post–Civil War tale.
James and the Giant Peach
Whimsical adventure of a boy’s ocean voyage inside a giant peach with eccentric insect companions.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Pioneering sci-fi adventure about an expedition into Earth’s interior; proto-science-fiction classic.
Jaws
Seaside town terrorized by a great white shark; bestselling thriller that spawned a landmark film.
Jitterbug Perfume
Playful, sensual novel weaving immortality, perfume, and myth across centuries; a cult favorite.
Joseph Andrews
Early English comic picaresque following a virtuous footman’s misadventures; foundational comic novel.
Just Kids
Intimate memoir of Patti Smith’s friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe; winner of the National Book Award.
Junk
Unflinching YA novel about teenage heroin addiction; controversial on release and winner of the Carnegie Medal.
Junkie
Raw, semi-autobiographical account of addiction; influential work of the Beat generation.
J.R.
Dense, polyphonic satire of capitalism and media; won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Journey to the End of the Night
Bleak, darkly comic antiwar novel notable for its innovative colloquial prose.
Johnny Tremain
Coming-of-age tale set during the American Revolution; Newbery Medal winner.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Allegorical fable about a seagull’s pursuit of flight and self-improvement; 1970s cultural phenomenon.
Jazz
Lyrical novel set in 1920s Harlem exploring love, memory, and violence; part of Morrison’s acclaimed oeuvre.
Jasmine
Immigrant saga following a young Indian woman’s reinventions and survival across cultures.
Judas
Intimate Israeli novel about love, ideology, and betrayal; character-driven moral exploration.
Joyland
Nostalgic coming-of-age mystery set in a 1970s amusement park, blending suspense and melancholy.
Jacob Have I Loved
Chesapeake Island coming-of-age novel about sibling rivalry and self-worth; Newbery Medal winner.
Jasper Jones
Australian coming-of-age mystery confronting race, small-town secrets, and moral courage.
John Adams
Thorough, readable biography of America’s second president by a two-time Pulitzer winner.
Johnny Got His Gun
Harrowing experimental narrative of a WWI soldier left without limbs or senses; enduring pacifist classic.
Juliet, Naked
Witty, bittersweet novel about fandom, relationships, and midlife reinvention; showcases Hornby’s comic empathy.
Jacob’s Room
Fragmentary, impressionistic portrait of a young man through memory and absence; a key modernist work.
Jimmy Corrigan
Formally inventive graphic novel about loneliness, family, and memory; widely acclaimed in comics and literary circles.
Jerusalem
Ambitious, experimental novel exploring history, family, and metaphysics in dense, genre-defying prose.
Jamaica Inn
Atmospheric Cornish tale of smuggling, danger, and a young woman’s moral struggle; du Maurier’s popular suspense classic.
Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi
Fragmented witty novella about art, aging, and travel between Venice and Varanasi; a playful hybrid work.
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit
One of Wodehouse’s Jeeves novels starring Bertie Wooster and his brilliant valet; classic British comic farce.
Jubilee
Epic novel based on family history about an enslaved woman’s life and survival in 19th-century America.
J
Satirical, elegiac novel set in post-plague Britain exploring memory, censorship, and human connection.
Jewel
Southern family drama about trauma, love, and resilience; adapted into a film starring Farrah Fawcett.
Jar City
Icelandic noir introducing Detective Erlendur; bleak, atmospheric mystery with global reach.
Janesville
Investigative look at a Midwestern town coping with factory closure and economic change; human-centered reporting.
Job: A Comedy of Justice
Playful, philosophical SF reworking the Book of Job across alternate realities with satirical bite.
Journey to the West
Ming-era Chinese epic of the Monkey King and a pilgrim’s quest; one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels.
Jingo
Discworld novel satirizing war, nationalism, and media hysteria with Pratchett’s sharp comedic voice.
Jock of the Bushveld
Beloved South African animal memoir recounting the adventures and loyalty of a treasured dog.
John Dies at the End
Cult horror-comedy mixing supernatural chaos, absurdist humor, and noir elements; began as an online serial.
Jean-Christophe
Ten-volume bildungsroman following a musician’s life across Europe; monumental early 20th-century serial novel.
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